Growth Characteristics of Pulse Electrodeposition Fe-Si Layer

Abstract

Fe-Si layer was prepared on silicon steel substrate from KCl-NaCl-NaF-SiO2 molten salts by pulse current at different time. The quantitative Si concentration depth profile, surface morphology and phase structure of the layer were studied by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The layer growing process was analyzed from nucleation process, growth pattern and microstructure. It was observed that the Fe-Si alloy nucleated in the way of three dimensional conical shape and initially grew in the orientation of matrix, then gradually adjusted to the lowest energy state. With deposition time going on, the phase structure of the layer changed in the order of -Fe (Si) →α-Fe (Si) ＋Fe3Si →Fe3Si